Machine for making paper folding boxes and the like



EALELQEE C. BUTTERFIELD f 1922 5 Sheets-Sheef l m N Q Juy l?, 11923.

MACHINE FOR MAKING PAPER FOLDINGBOXES AND THE L IKE Filed March 23 Law Juy E7, i923.

y C. BUTTERIFIELD MACHINE FOR MAKING PAPER FOLDING BOXES AND THE LIKE Filed March 25' 1922' 5 sheets-sheet 2 july E?, 11923. M4196@ A c. BUTTERFIELD MACHINE FOR `MAKING PAPER FOLDING BOXES AND THE LIKE Filed March 23'. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 //b al al INVENTOR July I7, R923. HALSLQ@ c. BUTTERFIELD MACHINE FOR MAKING PAPER FOLDING BOXES AND THE LIKE Filed March 23 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 T@ fr? Ji/ INVENTO ATTORNEY July B7, 1923. IAILQ@ c. BUTTERFIELD MACHINE FOR MAKING PAPER FOLDING BOXES AND THE LIKE Filed March 23, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ff ff' is To aZZ'wzm-n it may concern Patented July' il?, lZS.

canne ufr'rnnrrnnn; or mnnnn'rown, omo, Assxenon To ann mamma nomme Box coMrAnY, or mrnnnn'rown, omo.

MACHINE FOB. MAKING PAPER FOLDING BOXES AND'THE'L v' Application uled March $23,/u 1922. erial No. EMMA.

Be it known that I, CHARLES BUa'rnnFIELD,

I a citizen of the United States, 'residing at Middletownfnf the county of Butler and State of Ohio', have invented certain new and useful Improvements 'in Machines forl Making Paper Folding Boxes and the like,` of which the 'following is a specification, reference be' ng had therein to the accompanying drawings. This invention' relates toa new machine for making paper folding boxes.l

The main object of my invention is to prol.vide a machine of thisA character adapted for large, output offfolding boxes of varia# ble types and sizes, and in which all required operations lfor producing the dif -ferent units of the'v boxes are automatic; thus elim'nating hand operations and,'acf 'cordingly,' cheapening productin. vI'r1-the"'particular form' herein illustrated and described, the machine is ada `ted produce paper folding boxes in yvhic var.- ous coacting parts are-united one with another by means of a suitable adhesive, as glue cement, paste, etc., the application of the adhesire andnnitin'g ofthe parts being ef-- fected b'automatically coincident Lwith the folding .operations on the machine.

Certain forms of blanks, 4ofbox making material arev also -heren shown and described. but it; vyill be understood that/this is merely for the Apurpose of illustrating the 'practice'of the invention, as'various modificat' ons can obviously be made in the general organization and operation of the machine to'adapt the same to variations inthe prod m ing box,machine illustrating the general oruct to be produced. thereon, `without de al'ting from vthe underlying principles o the invention as defined and lcomprehended in the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings: Fig. '1- is a side elevation of the paperfoldganization thereof;

Fig. 2 is a plan ViewV of the machine; Fig. 3 is front elevation of the first unit of the box. foldingmechanis'm Y Fig. 4 is a side elevation o f Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is' arpla'n. View ofthe second unit of .the box folding mechanism; Fig; 6 is a vside elevation of Fig. 5;

applying mechanism;

machine.

'folding the blanks shown in Fig. 7 is a View of a aan feature of the first unit of a series of -guides'for rthe paper Fig. 7a is a view 'of a @detail of the blank carrier guides; i

Fig. 8 is front elevation of the fourth unit of the box folding mechanism;

Fig. "9 is a plan view ofa paper blamk carrier mechanism; Fig. lisasidewiew of Fig. 9;

f Fig; 11 is a detail side elevation of the second unit' of thebox folding mechanism includingthe gear drive for the same;

Fig'. 12 is a sideview of a detail feature of the automatic Vpaper blank-feeding vmechanism;

Fig. 13 is a lan view ofadetailfeature ofthe box foiding mechanism; v `I `ig.'14 is a front elevation of 'the adhesive dean of the Fig. 15 is a side 'elevation of the mechanism illustrated in Fig.' '14, including the adhe;v

' sive supplytank;

Fig. -1-5a 's a view illustrating a modification\ofthe adhesive applying mechanism;

Fig. I16 is a side elevation of a detail of the .feeding mechanism;

Fig. 17 is a cross sectional view ofthe machine taken on the line 17.17 of Fig. 1; 1 Fig. 17a is a detail of a gear train of the feeding mechanism;

' Figs. 18 and 19 illustrate paper blanks for the top and bottom of a common type of vfoldf ing box', adapted for production on themachine herein illustrated;

Figs. 420 to 23 illustrate successive ste slof folding the blanks shown in Figs. 18 an 19;

folding box adapted for production -on the Figs. 26 to, 3 1 illustrate'successive'steps of 32 and 33'illustrate thethird typeofbox.

The covmpete apparatus for making folding boxes in here shown in a.- preferred form in Figs.

Figs. 24 and 25 illustrate paper blanks for the top and bottom of a special type of paper Figs. 2ta'nd25. blanks for the top d bottoln'of a third type offo'lding' box,. a f v 1 /v Fi'gs 34 to 36 i1lustrate the construction o'f the practice of my invention, as

mechanisms, the blank feeding mechanism A, thebox-folding mechanism B, and the box delivering mechanism C, the dlfferent mechanisms being coordinated one with another to-operate as a single automatic thereof, is .of well known construction in' this art, and is not described in detail, therefore, nor claimed speciiically, except as to the noveldetails referred to, but is claimed in the broad combinations defining the machine as a whole. As shown, the feeder mechanism is supported on a. frame 1 u and consists of an inclined table 5 upon which the blanks for making the folding boxes are stacked in suitable quantities to meet the requirements of the automatic feedingmechanism.

The novel features of the automatic feedingfmechanism, as here shown, consists of a step-by-step pick-up mechanism which acts to deliver the paper blanks singly from table Y 5 to the carrier belts 6, the latter being of the usual well known construction. step-by-step mechanism consists of a'ratchet gear drive 7,- illustrated in detail in Fig. 12, which is adjustablyconnected to the gear mechanism of the first unit of the box folding-mechanism as at 9 by a pitman 8,

and to the pick-up rollers 10 by a gear 1 1, the pick-up rollers being, as here Shown, ofthe usual type of rubber-covered friction rollers commonly used in feeding mechanisms of this character..

A further novel feature ofthe feeding4 mechanism consists of an automatic timing mechanism for delivery of the paper blanks to the folding mechanism, this feature being illustrated indeta-il Fig. 16, 'consisting of a series of automatic stops 12 secured to a transverse shaft 13, and controlled by upwardly extended arms 14 connected to inclined arms 15 which are secured at one end to the shaft of the* upper delivery roller 16, 'and are in engagement at their opposite ends with cams .17 secured to the shafts of the upper rollers of the first folding unit, thus the action of the cam on roller 16 will be to lift the roller 18, and' at the same time to raise the stops 12 into the path of the paper blank in position thereon to be delivered, the purpose of this arrangement being described in connection with the operation of the machine as a wholeJ'As best illustrated in detail Fig; 17 the feeding- The the foldingmechanism by spur gears in a manner to synchronize the operation of the feeding mechanism, 4and the folding mechamsm.

The box folding mechanism B comprises a double series of vertically opposite rollers, each series being made up of upper rollers 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, and

lower rollers 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 [and 32,-each unit of the series comprising two upper and two lower rollers supported respectively on upper shafts 33 and lower shafts 34, which are adjus-,tably supported in bearings 3 5 extending upwardly from the frames 1, as best illustrated in detail Fig. 11, the shafts being operatively con- 'nected' to al main drive' shaft 36 which is .supported on one of the frames 1in bearing 'brackets 37 by intermeshing spur gears 38 39 secured to the upper and lower rollervshafts 33 34, and bevel gears 4Q and 41, secured respectively to lower roller shafts 34 and drive shaft 36, the drive shaft being connected as, here shown, to any suitable source of power.. bymeansy of fast and loose pulleys 42`and, 43 and a belt- 44, tl1us upon the application of power to the machine all the rollers 19 to 25 and 26 to 32 inclusive, will be operated simultaneously at equal speeds'.

'A box blank carrier D extends longitudinally between frames 1, in a horizontal plane intermediate the upper and lower box folding rollers, the full length of unit B of the machine, and consists of horizontally and vertically oppositeupper and lower par allel frames 45 and. 46 spaced one from theother as best illustrated in detail Figs.

.9 and 10 of the drawings; a series vof upper land lower transverse'guide rollers 47 and 48 supported in frames 45 and 46 respeetively, the upper rollers, except the one at the extreme left, as viewed in Figs. '1

and 2, being yieldably supported by any i suitable means, as spring pressure bearings 49; opp site traveling belts 50 and 5l operable etween frames 45 and 46 and over rollers 47 and 48, the frames acting as guides for the belts, and lupper tension rollers '47 acting to keep the belts in yieldable' contact one with the other in their intermediate travel between the rollers; and f belt driver rollers 52 and 53 for the upper and lower belts, respectively, secured to shafts 54 and 55 supported in extension brackets 56 and 57 secured to opposite bearing brackets 35, id1er rollers 58 and 59 supported in pivot arms 60 and 61 secured to frames 45 and 46, being. employed, as here shown, to keep the upper and lower belts taut, operative movement being transmitted to belt driver rollers 52 and 53, respectively, by means of Vupper and lower gear' trains 38, 62 63 and 39- 64-and 65, Between eachvset' of iso menace upper and lower rollers 19 25 and 26 a The first 32 and secured to transversev rods ,66 andv 67respectively, are upper'and lower-guide 68 and 69, the guides*l being arranged parallel with, in the horizontal plane of, and

spacedvertically one lfrom the` other substantially as the carrier frames 4,5 and 46 ``the guides acting to support the opposite .edges of the paper blanks as the same are engaged and u'moved through the machine by the carrier belts 50 and 51.I- The fgrst Aset of upper guides 68` at the feed end of the `machiner are flared outwardly, as illustrated at 68 in detail Fig. 7 for a purpose whichwill presentlybe described in connection with the. operation of the machine. L

set of folding rollers/ 19 .26 are shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4, the upper 4rollers 19 havingq'clearancespaces 19 formed therein to provide for the first folding operation of the paper blanks as the same passbetween the rollers,-and the lower rollers 26 having diagonally arranged ianges 26-a secured to the peripheries thereof which act in conjunction with the diagonal ed e 19-b of roller 1Q to grip the paper b anks, as the same are delivered oneby one bythe feedin mechanism A, and to effect the first foling operation .at oneend of the blank `as the samepass between the rollers.

The 'second set of folding -rollers 20 27 are similar to the V iirst set of rollers and perform asimilar operation, but in the inverse order, Vat the. opposite end -of thev nlsm 0.

blank., v

Between/the second Aand thirdi sets of roll# v ers, as best shownI in detail Fig. 13, are

'opposite mechanisms each comprising a hori- 1 zontally extended armi-70 supportedv in brackets 71 securedto a transversely supported rodl 7 2 and operatively connected to cams 73 arranged on theV outer faces ot rollers 27 by means of intermediate gears 74 and segment leversl ?5 whichI are also pivoted inAbrackets v 71 and havingtheir opposite ends engaged 'with-the cams and acting', as actuated thereby,. to rotate 'arm through the are of a"circle, theffunc tion of the arm being' presently described relative to the operation of the machine.

In the third set of rollersthe lower rollers 28 have symmetrical, Vor unbroken pe'-,v

ripheral surfaces, the upper' rollers 21 having opposite peripheral flanges 21 pads 2l-",'being arranged-.on the rollers between the flanges, asbest shown in detail Fig, 14,'and adapted to apply toI certain co-V acting surfaces of the paper blanks, as will presently be described,` an adhesive sublistance, as glue, paste, or cement, su

means of Ja supply. roller 77A adapted to` A be partially immersed inthe adhesive` materialI in thetank, and a distributing roller ranged to extend over and coact with. theV inner edges of Hanges 29 a to eEect a` further step in the folding of the .paper as it asses therebetween.

n the fifth set of rollers, both the upper rollers 23' and lower rollers 30 have unbroken peripheral surfacesfwhich co'act one with the other to complete the folding operation initiated by rollers 22 29, the ac' tion upon the fold betweenhthe rollers being with suicient pressure to cause the surfaces supplied with adhesive to lirmly adhere to corresponding vsurfaces with lwhich l the same' are brought into contact by action of pressure rollers 23 30. l l The sixth set ofrollers 24 31 is similar in construction and operation to the fourthA set and vperlorim a similar foldnlg operation uponthe paper blank.

The seventh. fset ot rollers 2 32 is similar to the iitth set and eects similar operation on the paperv blanks .as the same pass' therebetween to the. delivery mecha- The timing of the mechanism of the folding units of' the machine can readily be adapted for folding paper of variable widths by disconnecting bevelv J.rollers 20 and 27, and rotating the gear 41 from bevel v rollers in the required direction to provide for an earlier r later pick-up oit the paper blank by the second foldingunit, acgord.-V

ingly, as the case may be,'.for.loner or A shorter blanks. For this purpose, t ad.- hesive pads are also adjustable periphe'rally on rollers 21,v` and all Y the rollers 19 25' and 26 32 inclusive, and guides 68 and 69 are) adjustable laterally in both directions to adapt they same to paper blanks'of variable. size. Also it \will be obvious to those experienced in this art, that foldingsot variable' character can tbe per- :formed on the paper blanks by modifying details of the general arrangement withoutl departing from the underlying principlesof the invention. f V

- Thefdelivery mechanism C may be et4 any suitable construction.n As here shown,

' this unit of the apparatus consists of a'well known type of mechanism, comprising a frame I b" supported on the frames/. 1

and having upwardly extended stops 79.

Horizontally opposite rollers 8O and a y roller 81 in a lower horizontal plane are truss frames 2 and extended the. full lengthy vof the folding unit of the machine, thus supported in. frame l 1 1, and are traversed by carrier belts 82 83, and 84, belts 82 being connected to the lower roller 53 -of the carrier mechanism 1), belts 83 traversing the first roller 80 and roller 81, and belts 84 traversing rollers 80. As shown in F ig. 1, the inner edge of the stacked folded boxes overhangs the inclined travel of belts 83 between roller 81 and the first roller 80, thus causing the boxes as delivered from the folding mechanism to be delivered beneath the stack and permitting the boxes to beI handled in quantities as removed from the machine.

A belt shifter rod 84 a is mounted on affording convenient cont-rol of the machine for the attendantoperator.

Three types of paperfolding boxes adapted for production in the practice of my in- 5 vention are illustrated in the drawings, a`

- common type of box being illustrated in Figs. 18 to 23 andspecial types of boxes in Figs. 24 to 31, and Figs., 32 to 36 reon the other blank at oppositevsides of the b1ank, this being effected by introducing the blanks in one case, for the top of the box, endwise,"and the blanks for the bottom of the box sidewise, into the folding mechanism the opposite foldings of the top and bottom blanks being for the purpose of effecting symmetrical construction of the sides' and ends of the'complete box as as- The fold-ing operations on blanks shown in Fig. 18, are illustrated in, Figs. 20 to 23, the successive operations being as follows: The blanks'are stacked on table 5 of theautomatic feeding mechanism, as illustrated in Fig. 1,' in suitable quantities to `effect properdelivery of the blanks, one at a time, to the folding mechanism. as the blanks are -moved sidewise on carrier belts 6, they are stopped and aligned by stops 12, roller 16 being then in raised position. Upon lowering of the roller into feeding relation-with lower roller- 18, the blank will be advanced with-itsforward edge in a position to be engaged between the upper and lower rollers 19l andi 26, respectively,

ofthe first unit of the folding mechanism',

the movement of the blank relative to the. movement of the rollers being so timed that the diagonal flanges 26 a on lower roller 26 will cooperate with diagonal edges 19 b of upper roller 19 in manner to effect folding of portions af on lines af of the blank substantially at right angles to the face o-f the blank, the ends of the blank having previously `been slotted on lines the folds af being further acted upon as the blanks pass from the first to the second rollers by the curved portions 68 L to flatten the ,folds over the face of the blanks as indicated in Fig. 20. Av corresponding right-angle fold of portions a is made at the opposite end of' the blank as the same passes between the second unit of rollers 20 and .27, the folds being in the inverse order, as indicated in Fig. 20. As thefblanks pass from the second to the third unit of rollers, the inverse folds a are acted upon by arms 70 to flatten the folds to the face of the blanks as indicated in YF ig. 21. .The squaresurfaces only of-.folds as indicated'by score4 lines, are vsupp-lied rwith adhesive as the blanks pass between the rollers of the third unit. Portions'b are turned uplat right-angles tp the lface of the blanks, as indicated in Fig,.22 as the blanks pass between rollers 21 and 28` fourth unit, this action on the paper being' effected, asjillustrated, in Fig. 8, be,- tween the peripheral flanges of the lower vrollers and the outer faces of the upper rollers. The final fold of the blanks, as illustrated in Fig. 23, is made as the blanks pass between rollers 22 and 29 of the fifth unit, this final action. being made with sufficient pressure to cause the adhesive surfaces'of portions a. to be firmly joined to the corresponding opposite surfaces of portions b". Y

The sixth and seventh sets of rollers, as here'shown, are not required. for prod/ucing boxes of the type above described, these additional units being here shown to illustrate-the :practice of my invention in the production of the type of folding box illustrated in Figs. 24 to 30. For boxes not requiring the extra .folding rollers, the same can be removed from the machine, or can` be shifted laterally out' of the path of the paper blanks as the same are moved through the machine on thev carrier belts, thus there will be no interferencewith the normal operation of the machine whether or not all the folding units arein operation.

The folding Voperations of the ltype of box illustrated in' Figs. 24 to 30- are similar to those illustrated and described relative to end foldings are made of the blanks for the tops and the blanks for the bottoms, to effect symmetrical construction and uniform strength of the boxes as assembled one unit with the other. Detail description of the folding operation, as applied to one blank, however, will also suffice for the other, as the o erations on both are the same-the only, ifference being that one blank passes endwise. and the other blank sidewise through the machine. y

The blanks 'for boxes of this character consist, as here Shown in Figs. 24 and 25, of integral units, cut, slotted and scored for folding. The form of blank shown in Fig. 24 passes through the folding mechanism sidewise,-the portions -c at the forward end of the blank being turned-up on lines -o at right-angles to the face of the blank by the action of the first set of rollers, and flattened to the face of the blank, as illustrated in Fig. 26 by pressure exerted thereon by guides 68a; the sec-ond set of rollers and arms -70 acting cooperatively to make a similar fold of the corresponding portions -c at the opposite end of ,the blank, as illustrated in Fig. 27 adhesive being api plied to the entire surfaces of the portions -d and -d as the blanks pass the third set of rollers; the fourth set of rollers acting to turn-up portions -e at both ends at rightangles to the face of the blank, as illustrated in Fig. 28,-the portions -e being pressed down and joined to the adhesive surface of portions -d, as indicated in Fig. 29, by the fifth set of rollers,portions al and e being then turned-up at right angles1 as indicated in Fig. 30, as the blanks are acted upon by the sixth set of rollers,-the final i fold being made, as indicated in Fig. 31,.

by the action of the seventh set of rollers,-it being observed that portions d' have adhesive applied thereto, and that adhesive junctures will accordingly be made in the final fold of the paper with the corresponding opposite portions -c. From the seventh unit of folding rollers the finished box units pass to the delivery mechanism -C and are then manually removed from the machine.

A third type of box adapted for production in the practice of my invention is illustrated in Figs, 32 to 36. In this form the paper blanks for the top and bottom of the box are also arranged, preferably for opposite foldings, as illustrated in Figs. 32 and 33. The successive foldings of the opposite blanks being substantially the same, adescription of one will serve for both. The first and second steps of folding are illustrated in Fig. 3,-these operations being formed by the first and second units of folding rollers and their cooperating mechanisms-guides -68 and arms -70-111 the manner described in connection with the boxes illustrated in Figs. -18 23 and -24 31. The adhesive is applied to the blanks on portions -f following the foldings illustrated in Fig. 34,-the final fold of the blank for the bottom of the box bein illustrated in Fig. 35, and of the blank for the top of the box in Fig. 36.

It will be observed that all the units for the different types of boxes are delivered from the machine wth all junctures made, and folded in complete knock-down form ready for handling and shipping in quantity lots.

Reference is here made to certain detail features and Arefinements of construction, not heretofore mentioned herein. Between the fourth and fifth 'sets of rollers -22 -29 and -23 B0-additional uides -68-b are arranged to engage the rig t-an le folds of the paper blanks, as illustrated 1n Figs. 22, 28 and 30', and corres onding right-angle folds preceding the nal foldings illustrated in Figs. 35 and 36, and deflect the folds downwardly sufficiently to present the blanks properly to the next following rollers for final foldings. The guides 68--" being angularly arranged'rods, varied as to angularity and spacing one from another tomeet the requirements of the size of the blanks.

A further detail feature of the guides -68 is illustrated in detail Fig. 7-a,-this modification consisting of an arrangement for adjusting a section G8- c of the guides longitudinally to adapt the same to paper blanks of variable sizes and variable foldings as the same are presented to the third set of rollers to receive an application of adhesive therefrom. The action of guides G8-? would follow, by way of illustration, the right-angle folds represented in Fig. 20 and corresponding folds on other of the blanks following the action thereon by arms 70,-thus the folds as e'ected by arms 70 are brought under control of guides --68-c before the paper blanks are engaged by the adhesive supplying rollers.

A further detail feature of the adhesive mechanism is illustrated in detail Fig. l5-a, consisting of a slot --21---d arranged in the adhesive pad -21-,-the pad here shown being of the type required in making the third form of folding box illustrated. The purpose of slot --2l-d is to prevent adhesive being 4applied to the paper blanks on lines where the corner folds occur,-thus serving to avoid breaking of the adhesive surfaces and to effect a better corner construction.

From the foregoing detailed description,.

the principles and the varied practice of my invention will readily be understood by those experienced in this art. It will be seen that the invention will be effective for producing paper folding boxes of various types, of the best construction, at low cost of time and labor, and without material waste of stock, and that the box units as.

including in combination, a paper blank' feeding mechanism, and a series of folding mechanisms arranged in units to effect Successive folding operations on the blanks as the same are delivered from the blank feeding mechanism, and including means to move ythe blanks from one unit to another of Said mechanism, one of said units comprising coacting rollers timed to receive the blanks singly from said feeding mechanism, and having a coacting projection and depression thereon respectively to effect the initialfold on an edge of each blank.

2. A machine of the character described, including in combination, a paper blank feeding mechanism, and a series of folding mechanisms arranged in units to effect succeSsive foldino' operations on the blanks as the same are delivered from the blankfeeding mechanism, and including means to move the blanks from one unit to another of said mechanism, one of said units comprising coacting rollers arranged to receive the blanks singly from said feeding mechanism, and having means, comprising a coacting flange Vand depression arranged on the peripheries of the respective rollers, to effect the initial fold on an edge of each blank.

8. A machine of the character described, including in combination, a paper blank feeding mechanisr'nmand a series lof folding mechanisms arranged in units to effect successive folding'operations on the blanks as the same are delivered from the blank feeding mechanism, and including means to move the blanks from one unit to another of said mechanism, said series of mechanisms comprising a set of rollers adapted to receive the blanks from the feeding mechanism and to effect an initial fold on an edge of each blank, and a set of rollers acting to receive the blanks from the first named rollers and having means thereon to effect a corresponding fold on the opposite edge of each blank.

4. A machine of the character described, including in combination, a paper blank feeding mechanism, and a series of folding mechanisms arranged in units to effect successive folding operations on the blanks as the same are delivered from the blank feedling mechanism, and including means to move the blanks from one unit to another of said mechanism, said series of mechanisms comprising a set of rollers adapted to receive the blanks from the feeding mechanism and to effect an initial fold on the edge of each blank, and a set of rollers acting to receive the blanks from the first-named rollers and having means thereon, comprising a coacting flange and'depression, to effect a corresponding fold on the opposite ledge of said blanks.

5. A machine of the character described, including in combination, a paper blank feeding mechanism, and a series of folding mechanisms arranged in units to effect successive folding operations on the blanks as the same are delivered from the blank feeding mechanism, and including means to move the blanks from one unit to another of said mechanism, said series of-mechanisms comprising first and second setsof rollers coacting one with the other to fold opposite edges of each blank as received from the feeding mechanism, and a. third set of rollers having means adapted to engage said blanks and simultaneously to effect folding of the other opposite edges thereof.

6. A machine of the character described, including in combination, a paper blank feeding mechanism, and a series of folding mechanisms arranged in units to effect successive folding operations on the blanks as the same are delivered from the blank feeding mechanism, and including means to move the blanks from one unit to another of said mechanism, said series of mechanisms comprising first and second sets of rollers coacting one with the other to fold opposite edges of each blank as received from the feeding mechanism, and a third set of rollers having means adapted to engage said blanks and simultaneously to effect folding of the other opposite edges thereo-f, and a set of rollers intermediate the second and third sets of rollers having mea-ns coacting therewith to apply an adhesive to predetermined portions of the blanks whereby upon the last named folding operation adhesive junctures are formed between,` folded portions of said blanks.

7. A machine of the -character described, including in combination, a series of folding mechanisms arranged in units to effect successive folding operations on blanks for making folding boxes, operation of all of said units being coordinated one with another through a common actuator, one of the units consisting of opposite sets of rollers each having a plurality of single rollers spaced one from another on a common actuating shaft and coacting with a. roller of thel each `having 'a plurality-'j of single rollers spaced one from another on a common actuating shaft, each having a projection cogct' ing with a depression of a roller ofthe o po. site set whereby the opposite coacting ro 1ers act simultaneously on opposite side edges of each blank to e'ect a folding operation thereon. V j 9, A machine of the character described, including 'in combination, a' series of folding mechanisms arranged in units to eHect successive folding operations on blanks 'for' mahng folding boxes, operation of all of saidl unitsv being coordinated onef-with anotherthrough a commonactuator, said se ries of mechanisms comprising a plurality of sets of rollers including a rst and second 4 set acting progressively'- upon each `aper blank to Heet a fold on the front an reai' edges' thereof,'and another setof rollers acting subsequently on the opposite side edgs l.of each blank, to effect 'simultaneously fo ing o erations thereon, and means for moving t e blanks from one set of rollers to another.' 10. A machine of the character described, including in combination, a series of folding mechanisms arranged in units to effect successive folding operations on blanks for making folding boxes, operation of all of said units 'being coordinated one with vanother through a common actuator, said series-of mechanisms comprising a plurality" of setsof rollers including a first and second set acting progressively upon eachfl paper blank to ect a fold on the front and rear edges thereof, la third/set of rollers actingV upon the blanks to a ply an adhesive to por' tions thereof, anda ourth set of'rollers aetf upon the blanks-in a lateroperation to simultaneously foldings of the oppor site side edges thereof and to form adhesive junctures .between folded portions. of the Ibla, and. means for moving the blanks from one set of rollers'to another.

11. A machine of the character described, including combination, a paper blank folding mechanism comprising a blank pickup mechanism andV blank aligning mecha.- nism, *as eries of folding mechanisms arranged to edect successive folding opera tions on said blanksandincluding a set of rollers coordinated with said feeding mechanism toaeceive the blanks singly therefrom and comprisin coacting foldingelements -arranged'perip orally. of said rollers and I thereon.

yet

acting subsequently to e`ect an initial fold 12. 'A machine-of the character described, including in combination, apaper blank feeding mechanism comprising automatic stops for aligning said blanks, a series of folding mechanisms arranged to edect'successive folding operations on said'hlanks,

and including a set of rollers coaeting with isaid stops to rreceive the blanks singly fromV said feeding mechanism and acting to effect 'an initial fold thereof.

13. A machine of the vcharacter described, including in combination, a seriesfof folding mechanisms arranged in units and adapted to'eii'ect successive folding operations on paper blanks for making folding boxes, each unit of said mechanisms comprising'o povsite sets of single rollers including folding elements arranged peripherally on each rollerl mounted on a common operating-shaft 4and adapted to be spaced-variably thereon to adapt said mechanisms for folding blanks of different sizes. '14. A machine of the character, described,

, including in combination, a. Aseries of folding `mechanisms arrangedtin units and adapted to effect ,successive folding 'operations on paper blanks for making folding boxes, units of said mechanisms comprising a plurality of single rollers adapted tow be adjusted ro- 'tatably and' axially for blanks of variabledimensions, andcomprising coacting Vele- )ments arranged peri hera'lly of the rollers 'and acting on the b anks .to e'ect folding f operations thereon.

15.. A machine. ofthe character described, including in combination with a paper blank feeding mechanism, a plurality of mechanisms.v arranged Lin series adaptedto effect .successive foldings of said blank, including a 'container forjan'adhesive, anda .roller coacting therewith' and having an adhesive distributor adjustable circumferentially thereon and adapted to apply the-adhesive to predetermined portions 'of said blank, and means to cause 'the surfaces supplied with adhesiveto be firmly joined to surfaces of the blankbroughtinto contact therewith.

' 16, A 4machine of the character described, including in combination with a paper blank feeding mechanism, a plurality of mecha nisms arranged in series'adapted to eifect successive foldings of said blank, including a container for an adhesive. and means corollers coacting to initiate a fold on one edge of said blank, a second unit of rollers coacting to initiate acorresponding fold on the opposite edge of said blank, means between the irstand second unitsof rollers acting to completesaid first fold, and means following the second unit of rollers acting to complete 'said second fold.

. 18. A 'machine of the character described, including in combination with a paperfbla'nk feeding mechanism, a plurality of mecha-A second unit of rollers coac-tingto receive the nisms arranged in seriesf adapted to effectv successive: foldings of portions of said blank, a. unit of rollers coactingto receive said blank from said 'feeding mechanism and to initiate a folding operatio-n .on one edge thereof7 a second unit of rollers coactinu to receive the blank from said first Vu nit and to initiate acorresponding folding operation` nisms arranged in series adapted to effect successive foldings of portions of said bla-nk,

a unit of rollers coacting to receive the blank from said feeding mechanism and to initiate a folding operation on. one edge thereof, a.

blank. from said first unit and to initiate. a`

\co'rresponding folding operation on the' opposite edge thereof, folding means fixed between *thefirst and second units acting to complete said Ifirst operation and means fol-A lowing the second unit comprising a pivotal arm'acting to complte said second operation.

'20. machine of the character described, including in combination with automatic paper- Ib-lank feeding "mechanism, adapted todeliver said blanks singly synchronously, an'

automatic paper blank folding mechanism coordinated with said. feeding mechanism,

' comprising a `.series of operable units, in-l flange of the lower roller to initiate a foldl cluding a unit of ,c oacting rollers consisting of opposite lower rollers each having alpe `ripheral flange inwardly adjacent the outerA facen thereof, and opposite upper rollers each having an outer straight face and inner bev-I eled face both acting with the cooperating of saidblan-k, blank carrier mechanism .interposed between said units'.

21. -A machine o f the 'character described,

I includingin combination with automatic paper blank feeding mechanism, adapted Ito deliver said blanks singly synchronously, an automaticpaper blank folding mechanism coordinated with said feeding mechanism,

comprising a series of operable units, including a unit of coacting rollers consisting of opposite lower rollers each having ape.-

ripheral flange inwardly adjacent the outer face thereof, and opposite upper rollers,eachv having an outerstraight face and inner beveled face both ,acting with the cooperating flange of the lower roller to initiate a fold of said blank, and a second u nit of upper and lower rollers having corresponding-pefor applying adhesive to portions of said blanks and means to prevent applic-ation of adhesive to certa-in portions of the blanks on folding lines thereof, and means to move the blanks relative to said mechanisms.

23. A machine of the character described, including in combination with a paper blank feeding mechanism, a plurality of coacting mechanisms arranged in series, adapted to effect various foldings of the blanks, means for.. applying adhesiveto portions of said blanks and means to prevent application of adhesive to certa-in portions of the blanks on folding lines thereof, and means comprising an endless carrier to move the blanks relative to said mechanisms.

24. A machine of the character described,

including in combination with a-paper blank feeding mechanism, a plurality of coacting mechanisms arranged 111 series, adapted to effect various foldings of the blanks, means yfor applying adhesive to portions of said blanks and means to prevent application of adhesive to certain portions of the. blanks on opposite coacting endless carriers to', move the blanks singly in progressive order relative to said mechanisms.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

i `CHARLES BUTTE-RFIELD.

folding lines thereof, and means comprising 

